Study Abroad Guide For Students

Thursday, February 15, 2007

My Study Abroad Guide and Forum for Australian Students

I think you should check out the Forums for Australian University students at http://www.studyabroad.c-o.in - Guide to Study Abroad or http://studyabroadaustralia.editboard.com/

Its really helpful, as it lets you

- Discuss your problems with other students* Connect New students with New Students joining the same university* Connect New students with old students studying or an alumni of the university* Connect Old students with old students studying or an alumni of the university

- It also lets people meet according to their university, which means* You interact with people in your university* Find people doing the same subjects as yours* Find people in your facults

- Jobs* Advertisers can post their job* Students can help others with links to job URL (websites)* Students can find jobs* Students can apply for a job* Students can request jobs

- Find a place* Advertisers can advertise a place to rent or sell* Students can find room partners* Students can request for room partners* Students can find a place to rent or buy

-Find a book* Advertisers advertise/sell their books and notes* Students can request/buy for a book or notes* Students can find/buy advertised books or notes

-Buy And Sell Anything Easily Freely* Advertise whatever else you wish for clothes, television, furniture* Students Get them cheap and easily here

I am writing this blog/entry/article whatever you call it, because I see alot of people confused before making their decision to go abroad for studies,and in this confusion take decisions that they later regret. I have been throughthe same, so I am writing with my own experience. I study IT in Australia, butmost of the stuff should also work for any other country you want to go.

Below are some set of Questions you should ask yourself before making a finaldecision, to embark on your new journey

Why do you want to go abroad for studies ?

Just because its cool or you think you will have more fun in the new country,shouldn't be your final decision factor

Its fun, but its the same fun you would even get in a university in your homecountry, even more, I am sure of that.

They are a lot of things you will miss once you are in a new country, butthere is nothing that can take place of home. You will end up being limited topeople from your own home, and thats not fun, thats not even life.

Below are some critical reasons for you to really decide that you want getabroad

Critical Decisions

»» There is no better university in your home country

Have you researched every university in your country ?

Have you looked at all the options.

Do you know how they rank?

Have you tried all the means to get into it

- Marks

- Exams

- Interviews

If you have done , all the above, and still there isn't a equally better orbetter university in your home country, start looking outside

»» The course isn't available in your home country

o Have you sat in a net café, went to gooogle.com and searched for thecourse in your home country. Eg. Event Management in India.

If you don't have the course in your home country, that a great reason tolook outside of it

»» Scholarship

o If 2 above not meet, and the university is giving you a goodscholarship, something even cheaper than a university in your home country, takeit asap, don't miss the opportunity at all

If you are here you have decided to pursue your education abroad. Here I putthe RCC technique. Whenever you hear about a university, get to know its RCC.

Whats RCC ?

R – Ranking

C – Course

C – Cost

Ranking

How does the University rank globally. Most of the people forget to research, how good their university rank. Yes , you want to go where your brother or hisfriend is studying already, because you know them etc. But at the end of it itwill be your life, your career not his, and you have to enjoy it , not them.

Below are some websites which give you a glimpse of the ranking of the topuniversities abroad. If your university doesn't appear in the top 500 globally,or in its field, or top 100 in that country, there is not use of it, until youare just to desperate to get into them, as I said before there would be betteruniversities in your country then. Ranking matters, it really does at the end ofit

Websites

o THES ON WIKIPEDIA – Top 20

o Times Higher Education Supplement Full List

§ Needs You to Sign Up

§ Gives ranking globally

§ Gives ranking according to field

§ Student Satisfaction Ratings

Courses

With the course, what I mean right now is. Look at subjects of the major youwant to do at these universities.

»» What all subjects you will have to do

»» How flexible is the course if you want to change in between

»» If you think the subjects are cool with you and you know you can do goodat it, only then take it

»» More details on this as you scroll down

Cost

Cost, ah. Decision time :

»» Can you afford

o The Tuition Fees

o The Books Fees

o The Living Fees – Hostel/Apartment

o The Money For Food

o Extra Money to enjoy and part

»» Most people take loan for the tuition, which is cool, as you can pay itoff after you start working anyways so that's not a problem.

»» Don't be a miser and come abroad, you don't know the economy, theinflation rate, the rate of living etc before coming. You should be comfortableenough to handle the worst case scenario

»»Remember a University in a suburb is less expensive (tuition + living), that the one in a main city. eg in USA , Georgia is cheaper than New York , in Australia UNE is cheaper than UTS

»» More as you scroll

RCC can be read in anyways, CCR, CRC, etc depending uponyour needs, but the three initials should be always counted

Which Course?

»» Check all the subjects, in the course you want to do, don't take itbecause it sounds good or is in demand

»» If you are abroad, at least do what you love or are naturally good at.

»» Most of the people take courses which are in demand.

o Eg Australia has a Immigration list of peoplethey want here

o Even out of these courses, take the course youare naturally good at.

Why do I emphasise take up something you are good at , rather than what's indemands or looks good, coz first you are paying so much for your course and mostof these universities abroad, have a different policy if you fail a subject.

Most of the people fail a subject that they aren't good at. And to earn moneyfrom this , most of the foreign universities, require you to do the wholesubject again, which involves paying the whole fees for that subject again. Sochoose wisely.

What Country ?

This could have been further up, but I guess after you have worked on youruniversity with the RCC in mind, you can make a wise decision. But then againbelow are the way I read the way countries according to their education shouldbe ranked

»» US – No#1, Multinationals, you will have to hear about the US, if you arein one of the other countries.

»» Britain – Best Universities in the world

»» Singapore – Choose the best

»» Canada – Nearest to the US, just about it

»» Australia – Immigration laws, good universities

Canada and Australia are in the same boat, according to me.

All ready , set ?

You have made your decision, now you have to apply at these places. Below aresome list of exams that most of the universities in developed countries want

»» SAT

o SAT 1 or SAT Reasoning Test: The new SAT contains ten sectionsand a total length of 3 hours 45 minutes; with the additional writing section, a"perfect" score on the new SAT is 2400 .Scores are calculated by the addition ofthe score on each section; thus a score of 800 on the Critical Reading, Math andWriting sections are needed for a perfect score.

o SAT 2 or SAT Subject Tests : 20 one-hour multiple-choice testsgiven in individual subjects. A student chooses which ones he or she will take,depending upon individual factors, such as college entrance requirements

o The Test Of English as a Foreign Language (or TOEFL, pronounced"toe-full", or sometimes just "toffle") evaluates the potential success of anindividual to use and understand Standard American English at a college level.It is required for non-native applicants at many American and English-speakingcolleges and universities. A TOEFL score is valid for 2 years, and then isdeleted from the official database.

o Also accepted by Universities in Australia, but again you will have togive the IELTS , for Visa purposes

o International English Language Testing System (IELTS) is a test ofEnglish language proficiency. It is jointly managed by University of CambridgeESOL Examinations, British Council and IDP Education Australia. Candidates maychoose either the Academic Module or the General Training Module:

o Accepted in Britain, Australia and even in someUniversities in the US

»» GMAT

Graduate Management Admission Test. A computerised examination created andadministered by the Educational Testing Service on behalf of the GraduateManagement Admission Council. Virtually all good-quality business schools in theworld require it for their full-time MBA programmes; many require it for otherbusiness programmes as well. GPA Short for Grade Point Average, GPA ordinarilyrefers to the grades (or marks) received in undergraduate degree programmes.

The Graduate Record Examination or the GRE, is a standardized test taken inorder to get into graduate school in the United States. In many ways, it issimilar to the SAT. Both are administered by the Educational Testing Service andhave similar question formats, though the latter is designed by the CollegeBoard and is intended for a different level of education.

1. Go online, use the search engine on the right, if you want toknow, the URL of the University you want to apply for.

a. Apply Online

Most Universities have an electronic method of application submission, theythen later ask you by email to mail(post) them copies of other documents

2. The Best Method I guess Is to approach the embassy. Most of thecountries have offices in every country, just to attract people and makeapplication submission etc very easy. But remember these are Sales Person, theyare sitting there to sell the universities. Your decision should be yours nottheirs. Just use them as a way , for a smooth application and visa process.

3. Apply to a list of top 10 universities, you have chosen. I forgotto mention this, but filter out atleast 10 universities, if you are not sure youwill get in or not and then apply to all of them. Start with most difficult tothe easiest to get into

So you got in ?

If you didn't get in the top 10 universities, try again with you exams, ifyou keep on failing, seriously forget it and look for options in your country.

o Laptop : You can't do without a computer now, you are in aforeign universities, technologically advanced, and everything from lectures toassignment submission is done online.

§ Don't get a PC, please waste of money , no flexibility

§ Research how much it would cost you in your home country and in theforeign land, most laptop companies have different websites for differentcountries, so you can research online what will be cheaper for you. Where to buyit?

§ Why Laptop?

»» Read lecture slides as you go through them in the lecture on the laptop.You save money not buying printed lecture slides

»» You make notes as you go along, has a perfect picture for you

»» Keeps you connected, a great way to get out from initial home sickness.MSN Messenger

»» A great way to communicate with your fellow students. No more asking fortelephone nos.

o What's your email address?

o Or are you on facebook or orkut

»» Most of the people use the Universities Internet on their Laptop anyways,for this check with your universities IT department as you get there

o Mobile Phone

§ You can't do without it.

§ Mobile Phone costs should be researched like laptops also cheaper , thebetter. Eg. If you coming from India to Australia, you would rather buy thephone from india and get a prepaid card from like Telstra for your phone whenyou get here.

§ Why facebook – Online community for universities, lets you get incontact with people

»» In your university

»» In your course

»» Even who are doing the same subject as yours

»» Helps you create groups , for people in common fields

»» Social Invities – Parties etc

§ Invite all the guys in your list of email address to facebook then, todiscuss, to meet up before leaving

»» Know people who are already there in your university

o Facebook.com – helps you do this,once you are registered with a university and have a valid email address withthem, you can see everyone from that university, course etc as mentioned aboveand talk to them to help you out

Be a "Backpacker", no need to go and live in a hotel. If you arrive inyour alien land without any preparation, and have no one to recieve you, gotoone of the backpackers, where you can temporarily stay at a cheap rate, whileyou search for friends and people to stay with

Best way is to google the place and address for the backpacker places beforeyou come. eg if you coming to sydney, google, "Sydney BackPackers", and choosethe cheapert one , or the one you like. eg for Sydney I foundhttp://www.totaltravel.com.au/travel/nsw/sydneyarea/directory/hostels to bea pretty nice website, where you can book , or just know about the rent, andwhere the place is located. Also this gives you an idea of how the rent atplaces around your area are.

Get to know the places where most students live in your country, if youthinking of living off campus, arrive on a weekday early morning so that youhave the whole day to goto this area, meet the real estate agents and see andrent the place

1. Living Near The University : Help, you don't spend on transportmoney which is expensive in some countries, save time , also you can access youruni computer the whole day, and meet up with university people, get yourproblems to uni. But living near the university can be expensive, specially ifits in a city

2. Living away from University : Cheaper. If you have a timetable ofgoing to uni less than 4 days, its cheaper , as you do save on transportation.But do have a laptop.

o This doesn't apply to you if you are going and living with your relatives

o Meet up with people who are going with you in your home country

o Tell all of them to research online for houses to rent. Google itpeople eg. Rent an apartment in Sydney

o Decide upon it, even book it online

o Don't over crowd it because you want 2 live cheaply. Get a life. I havenice rap for you later if you don't want to live

o What could be better if you book it online?

§ Fly down with the guys you have decided to live with

§ Go straight to the apartment and start living, why spend money living ina hotel or motel and spend another month finding one, and waste money in themotel/ hotel

§ But look out for cost, contacting people already in your universityhelps here

§ Get to know what a good cost of an apartment should be etc

§ Most of the agents should reply you online, tell them you are alreadythere, and want to shift in (whenever you arrive)

§ Don't sign contracts as you come, you never know you may not like theplace at all